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[an error occurred while processing this directive] Governmental Affairs: Advocacy in action. Read current and previous Legislative Network Alerts. View a listing of the Legislative Network Members. Frequently asked questions about the Legislative Network. |
Legislative Network Alerts Alert Number 110 February 17, 2005 For Your Information The WIA PLUS BLOCK GRANT NOT OFFERED IN COMMITTEE To: Members of the Legislative Network From: Patricia Leahy, Director of Governmental Affairs This Washington Wire is a heartfelt THANK YOU to our Members for their assistance in providing outreach and education to their respective Members of Congress in opposing any attempt on the part of Members of the House Education and the Workforce Committee to support the WIA PLUS BLOCK GRANT AMENDMENT. The House version of the WIA reauthorization, H.R. 27, The Job Training Improvement Act, was marked up yesterday in the full (parent) Committee on Education and the Workforce and we are pleased to advise you that the WIA PLUS BLOCK GRANT AMENDMENT Act was not offered during yesterday's markup of the bill. The bill, H.R. 27, was reported out favorably, today, February 17, 2005, as amended, on a roll call vote of 26 AYES TO 20 NOES, with the usual technical and conforming amendments. That said, we fully expect that the WIA PLUS BLOCK GRANT AMENDMENT will emerge in some form on the Floor of the U.S. House of Representatives during consideration of H.R. 27, as amended. The WIA PLUS BLOCK GRANT PROPOSAL allows Governors to merge FIVE ADDITIONAL JOB TRAINING PROGRAMS (INCLUDING VR) INTO THE WIA BLOCK GRANT. These programs include: VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION; VETERANS EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING PROGRAMS; ADULT EDUCATION; TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE AND FOOD STAMPS EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING PROGRAMS. The WIA PLUS BLOCK GRANT allows Governors to: SUPERCEDE THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE VR PROGRAM TREAT INDIVIDULAS IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF A STATE DIFFRENTLY; CONSOLIDATE REPORTING SO THAT NO INFORMATION WOULD BE AVAILABLE ON THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF SERVICES TO SPECIAL GROUPS -- NO ACCOUNTABILITY The National Rehabilitation Association will be devoting additional time and discussions to effective advocacy on Capitol Hill at our forthcoming Legislative Summit, the focus of which this year is 'A CALL TO ACTION.' We have invited Capitol Hill staff to join us for an informal, in-depth discussion of how you can make a difference on Capitol Hill. Details on NRA's 2005 Legislative Summit can be accessed on our website: www.nationalrehab.org THANK YOU TO ALL IN OUR MEMBERSHIP WHO CALLED THEIR REPRESENTATIVES AND MADE A DIFFERENCE AT THE HOUSE COMMITTEE LEVEL. BUT THERE IS MORE WE MUST DO. This legislation is now headed for the House Floor, which we are advised by Hill staff, will probably occur immediately following the President's Day Congressional Recess (February 21-25, 2005). There is a good possibility that the WIA PLUS BLOCK GRANT AMENDMENT will be raised in SOME CAPACITY on the House Floor. We will be monitoring this situation very closely and will keep you advised of up-to-the-minute developments. During the forthcoming Congressional Recess, Members of Congress will be home in their respective Districts. This would be an optimal time for you to visit with or contact your respective Representatives and staff and to provide outreach and education on why the PUBLIC/PRIVATE VR PROGRAM SHOULD NEVER BE BLOCKGRANTED AND TO OPPOSE ANY ATTEMPT ON THE HOUSE FLOOR TO INCLUDE THE WIA PLUS BLOCK GRANT AMENDMENT ON THE HOUSE FLOOR OR IN ANY VENUE. We are asking you to focus your calls, faxes and e-mails on your Congresspersons who serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. Additional talking points to those we have already provided THE WIA PLUS BLOCK GRANT will be forthcoming early next week. We believe phone calls to the local offices of your Representatives are an effective way of communicating with your Congresspersons. Following up your phone call(s) with a fax or e-mail is always a good idea. But, please, as we have said on some many occasions both at NRA's Legislative Summits and in our Washington Wires, DO NOT SEND LETTERS THROUGH THE MAIL, given our heightened security measures which in some cases may delay the delivery of your letter. If the National Office of NRA does not have your updated e-mail address, please advise Acting Executive Director Jon D’Angelo or myself as soon as possible. You can also update your e-mail on the website at http://www.nationalrehab.org/secure/mem/govalerts.shtml As we know you fully appreciate, having an updated means of communicating with our Membership is CRITICAL during these challenging times. During yesterday's markup of H.R. 27, Congressman Howard 'Buck' McKeon (R.CA.) offered a Substitute bill which incorporated the Subcommittee markup amendments of last week and other amendments. These changes, which were referenced in the Opening Statements and Press Releases of the Chairman and Subcommittee Chairman and are on the Committee's website, include the following: Authorized the American Indian Consortium to receive funds under the Client Assistance Program (CAP) to provide protection and advocacy services to Native Americans, consistent with the Assistive Technology Act enacted last year; Authorized the State VR Agencies to spend funds to support activities authorized under the Assistive Technology Act of 1998, as amended, to ensure that individuals with disabilities receive access to assistive technology devices and services; Authorized programs under the Protection and Advocacy for Individual Rights (PAIR) program to retain program income generated by the system for up to one additional year after it was generated; Authorized 211 million for the WIA pilot and demonstration authority, 125 million could be used for the President's community-based job training grants and also authorized the U.S. Secretary of Labor to use of 125 million more from WIA national reserved funds to fund the community-based job training grants. The Substitute clarified that community colleges are the only training providers eligible to participate in the Community-Based Job Training grants; Authorized the U.S. Department of Labor Secretary, through pilot and demonstration authority and funding, to fund projects carried out by states and local areas to assist adults and out of school youth in starting a small business; Allows Governors to consider whether training providers allow participants to attain a certification, credential, or mastery as they develop their criteria for determining eligible providers of training; Allows state library systems to participate as optional partners in the one-stop delivery system. As we mentioned earlier, this information is available on the Committee on Education and the Workforce's website and in the Opening Statements of some of the Members of the Committee on Education and the Workforce. One of the most important amendments offered at yesterday's markup what that of Congressman Dale Kildee (D.MI.), whose amendment asked for a separate, line item for infrastructure funding. That important amendment was DEFEATED along party lines. Another important amendment offered yesterday, and DEFEATED along party lines, was one that NRA has spoken to in several Hill meetings last year and before, and that is the restoration of 750 million cut from WIA Title I programs which has been occurring over the past several years and to strike the infrastructure funding provisions from H.R. 27. This amendment, which was offered by Congressman Holt (D.N.J.), was defeated on a ROLL CALL VOTE OF 21 NAYS TO 22 AYES. Congresswoman McCollum (D.MN.) offered an amendment, which was adopted on a VOICE VOTE, asked that the WIA Common Performance Measures take into account that Veterans with disabilities face numerous barriers to employment and that this fact be recognized and appreciated during consideration of these Measures. Congressman Ryan (D.OH.) offered an amendment recognizing the need to provider GREATER JOB TRAINING to all jobseekers in this country, given the increase in offshoring (also known as outsourcing) of American jobs to other countries. Following a, sometimes passionate debate, this amendment was DEFEATED on a ROLL CALL VOTE OF 21 AYES TO 22 NAYS, A VERY CLOSE VOTE. A more extensive update on this markup will follow shortly, but amendments and the contents of the Substitute offered yesterday in markup, are available on the Committee's website. The Senate, as you know from a previous Washington Wire, has introduced S. 9, which includes the reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA). This bill, which is a placeholder bill for a number of reauthorizations, is just that: A placeholder and we fully expect that a bill authorizing WIA, will be introduced sometime in mid-to-March. The timeline for Senate action on the WIA reauthorization at this time, as we said above, is to introduce a bill in mid-to-late March and hold a markup (usually held at ONLY the full Committee level in the Senate) the first or second week in April. We will keep you advised of developments, as they become known to us. Once again, the principal purpose of this Washington Wire is to THANK YOU, NRA MEMBERS, thank you, again, for your continued advocacy on behalf of the Public/Private VR Partnership and your continued outreach and education to all Members of Congress. And remember, The National Rehabilitation Association's priorities in this forthcoming reauthorization are in order of priority: NO BLOCK GRANTING OF VR; NO ELIMINATION OF RSA'S REGIONAL OFFICES which have the primary responsibility for monitoring and technical assistance; NO DOWNGRADING OF THE OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER OF RSA; TYING INFRASTRCTURE FUNDING (WHICH IS IN ADDIITON TO OTHER COSTS VR IS PAYING AT THE ONE-STOPS) TO ACCESSIBILITY FOR ALL -- AND ALL MEANS ALL -- INDIVIDUALS AT THE ONE-STOPS; SUPPORTING SEPARATE, LINE-ITEM FUNDING FOR INFRASTUCTURE COSTS AT THE ONE-STOPS ELIMINATING THE EFFICIENCY MEASURE IN WIA COMMON PERFORMANCE MEASURES WHICH TRANSLATES INTO QUICK, CHEAP, LOW-END JOBS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES. I think it was Benjamin Franklin of the Great State of Pennsylvania who said THAT: WE MUST HANG TOGETHER, OR WE WILL HANG SEPARATELY. FIGHT ON, VR, FIGHT ON. All information on timelines is current as of this day and time. |
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